


Safety

by Causa



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-07-29 20:36:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7698532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Causa/pseuds/Causa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose said they were doing all they could.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Safety

"Oh, Garnet! Just who I was looking for." 

 

"Who were you expecting?" the taller gem said flatly. 

 

Pearl laughed. "Yes, well, I was wondering if-"

 

"The sea spire," Garnet said. "But I wouldn't go by yourself." 

 

"Oh," Pearl said, walking to the warp pad, "I've fought multiple jaspers at once. I'm sure I can handle part of a gem." 

 

"Don't call them that." 

 

Pearl waved to her and activated the warp pad; she sighed. The blues of the water, their color bursting against the deep grey of the spiraling buildings, were beautiful and calming and Pearl hummed to herself and withdrew her spear. The quickest of movements caught her attention; she pranced forward, spear lifted, and sprang upward, toes pressing off the side of a collapsed building and she bounced from one to the next, in easy pursuit of the creature. 

 

It sometimes surprised her how easy it was to grip the tail of the beasts and pull them backward, to inhale and aim and exhale and thrust, to see the billows of cloudlike dust against the darkened skies, to hear their cries as if they were far in the distance, to feel the weighted gem in the gripped palm of her hand. Sometimes she had the thought of squeezing her hand into a fist. Sometimes she had the thought of throwing it on the ground with all her strength. Sometimes she thought she recognized the cut of it, glistening there in Earth's moonlight. Sometimes she cradled it in her hands before she bubbled it and sent it to what she told herself was safety. 

 

Rose said they were doing all they could. When Pearl stood, silent and still with hanging hands, looking at the barren ground and the empty skyline, she wondered if that was true.

 

Pearl turned to the warp pad, sighing. She startled when she heard a soft whimper behind her; she turned, drawing her spear. The creature's deep, sad eyes widened when it saw her weapon; it turned and sprinted away, leaping swiftly over the bits of rubble, gliding gracefully, moving so lightly it left no trail. Pearl flung her spear aside, sprinting. 

 

"Stop!" she cried.

 

Its pastel feathers circled a perfectly round, smooth gem that reflected the moon in soft rainbows. It used to be between shoulder blades, Pearl thought. She had said they'd had fun dressing her especially, posing her, making her stand with her back to the court. She had told Pearl that she was the first one to look at her. 

 

"Stop!" Pearl shouted again. "I promise I won't hurt you! I—" 

 

The creature halted, cooed, turned on its delicate feet. Pearl rushed to it and placed a slow, gentle hand on its head. Her head, Pearl thought. 

 

"You wouldn't hurt me, would you?" Pearl said, smiling. It looked at her, crooning softly. 

 

"Do you remember me? I remember you." She sighed. "You're the first one that hasn't tried to attack me! Rose—well, she can't heal you, but—" 

 

The creature lunged backward as if struck; screeching, it jolted away from Pearl and began to run. 

 

"Wait!" Pearl cried. She ran until her legs were heavy, until her breaths were short and desperate and her hair clung to her face. She collapsed, the ground dirtying her cheek, dust burning her eyes. Panting, she raised herself up, began moving again, vision unfocused but she knew where the gem was going. When she reached the edge of the spiraling cliff she peered below and saw nothing but the dark crashing of waves. Pearl sat for some time, her feet dangling over the edge. 

 

Pearl had smoothed her hair and wiped her eyes by the time Rose appeared at the temple; Pearl leapt to her feet. 

 

"Rose!" she said. "I went ahead to the spire and found the gem you were looking for. Since that's done I thought the two of us could—"

 

"Oh, thank you so much, Pearl!" Rose said, smiling. Pearl felt the emptiness inside her chest filling slowly, warming. "Now I can go hear that human play!" 

 

Pearl bit her lip, felt her insides shrinking, leaving holes in their place. "If that's what you want," she mumbled. 

 

Rose clapped her hands. "It is! Do you want to come?" 

 

Pearl cleared her throat. "No. Have fun," she said. She sighed deeply when Rose was out of earshot.

 

"You helped Rose," Garnet said. "She's happy." 

 

"What's so special about these humans and how they _play_?" Pearl exhaled loudly. " _I_ want to be happy." 

 

"Happiness is a choice." 

 

Pearl looked to her feet. "I don't think pearls can be happy—by themselves." 

 

"Everyone needs help sometimes," said Garnet. 

 

Pearl turned her head forward, watching Rose's curls bouncing as she glided across the beach, away from her. 

 

"What if I need it all the time?" 

 

Garnet shrugged and went to her room. Pearl sat cross-legged by the warp pad; Rose's figure had disappeared into the dark.


End file.
